Foreign matter removal mechanism

• US 9,248,475 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2015
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Original Assignee: IHI Corporation
• Inventors: Niizuma, Motonao
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US14/597,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20150128362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 180/2.1, 320/2, 320/5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/30 by movement of cleaning members over a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/124 Detection or removal of foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A foreign matter removal mechanism for removing foreign matter on a power-supplying coil that wirelessly supplies power to a parked vehicle from below, including: a movable unit that is pushed by the vehicle to move horizontally; and a movable cleaning unit that is coupled to the movable unit and moves, in conjunction with a movement of the movable unit, along an upper surface of the power-supplying coil.

Claims

1. A foreign matter removal mechanism for removing foreign matter on a power-supplying coil that wirelessly supplies power to a parked vehicle from below, comprising:

a movable unit that has a height so as to contact the vehicle and is pushed by the vehicle to move horizontally; and

a movable cleaning unit that is coupled to the movable unit and moves, in conjunction with a movement of the movable unit, along an upper surface of the power-supplying coil.

2. The foreign matter removal mechanism according to claim 1, comprising

a foreign matter receiving ditch that is provided on a far side of the power-supplying coil in a moving direction of the movable cleaning unit.

3. The foreign matter removal mechanism according to claim 1, comprising:

a movable frame body that is fixed to the movable cleaning unit from an opposite side of the movable unit and moves, in conjunction with the movement of the movable unit, along a parking surface on which the vehicle is parked; and

a second foreign matter receiving ditch that is provided on a near side of the power-supplying coil in the moving direction of the movable cleaning unit.

4. The foreign matter removal mechanism according to claim 1, comprising

a stopper provided on the far side of the power-supplying coil in the moving direction of the movable cleaning unit.

5. The foreign matter removal mechanism according to claim 1, comprising

a coil spring that connects between the movable unit and the movable cleaning unit.

6. The foreign matter removal mechanism according to claim 1, comprising:

a second stopper that is provided on the near side of the power-supplying coil in the moving direction of the movable cleaning unit; and

a second coil spring that biases the movable cleaning unit in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the movable cleaning unit.